Machines



(No Model.) 5. Sheets-Sheet 1 L. C. GROWELL.

BED MOTION POR CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINES.

we 'mms nuns ca mom-nw@ Mmmm". n, c.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.-, v

(No Model.)

L. C. CROWELL. BBD MOTION FOR CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINES. y No. 480,454.Patented Aug. 9, 1892..y

N =`;;s ljf d: N m r b si! .2 I f,

to N I1 l n! A;

l i rIII.;

@l '-.m-l l I'HIIIIHII|||||||l|||||||| a es faz/@12 i017 @551 @@ggwqma(No Mode1.)1. j Smeets-sheet s.

L. C. ROWELL. BBI) MOTION POR CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINES. No. 480,454.Patented Aug. 9, 1892.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

- LogoRoWELL. BBD MOTION FOR CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINES.

No. 480,454. Patented Aug. 9, 1892.

(Nc Model.) 5 sheets-sheet 5.

UNITED STATES PATENTQFFLICE- LUTHER C. CROWELL, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TOROBERT HOE, STEPHEN D. TUCKER, THEODORE H. MEAD, AND CHARLES NY.CARPENTER, OF

NEV YORK, N. Y.

BED-MOTION FOR CYLINDER PRINTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 480,454, dated August9, 1892.

Application filed May 9, 1892. Serial No. 432,362. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, LUTHER C. CRownLL, a citizen of theUnited States,residing at the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bed-Motionsfor Cylinder Printing-Machines, fully described and represented in thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part Ioof the same.

This invention relates to improvements upon that shown in Letters PatentNo. 5,200, granted to Richard M. Hoe July 24,1847, and is especiallydesigned for use in that class of I5 printing-machines which havereciprocating type-beds that co-operatewth rotating cylinders in makingthe impression, whether said machines have one or more such cylinders,whether said cylinder or cylinders oscillate zo or rotate periodicallyor continuously or in the same or opposite directions, or make one orany number of revolutions during each reciprocation of the type-bed. Inshort, the invention applies to a machine having a reciprocating bed, nomatter how the impression is taken therefrom, although it is illustratedin connection with a printing-machine having a singleimpression-cylinder.

It is the object of this invention to provide 3o a mechanism forretarding and stopping the movement of the bed in one direction andstarting and accelerating it in the reverse direction at each end of itsrun, which shall perform these reversing operations so quickly 3 5 as tominimize the time for their accomplishment, and thus provide for theattaining of the highest rate of speed of the machine without undulymodifying it in making such reversals of the bed at the ends of itsstroke.

The invention consists, mainly, in combining with the rackand pinionmechanism whereby the major par-t of the reciprocating movement isimparted to the type-bed, two swinging levers pivoted to the bed andeach provided at its free end with a stud, that is engaged near the endof the movement ot' the bed imparted by the rack-and-pinion mechanism bymeans of a pocket in the periphery of a revolving disk on thebed-driving-pinion 5o shaft and carried by said pocket through a curvedguideway provided by a rotatine curved guard, which movement of thelever:- stud thus carried through said curved guide- Way is equivalentto that of a crank, and hence the reversal of the bed atthe end of 5 itsrun in both directions is accomplished by J a movement that is bothpowerful and smooth.

The above constitutes the more prominent feature of the invention. Otherimprovements, however, will appear in the course of 6o the followingdetailed description of the mode in which the invention is or may bepractically embodied or carried into effect, a ready understanding ofwhich will be aided by reference to the accompanying drawings in whichbFigure l is a side elevation, the nearer side frame being removed, Fig.2 an end elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan view taken just below the bed, ofa printing-machine embodying the 7o present improvements, while Figs. 4,5:36 7 8, 9, 10, and 11 are diagrams illustrating vai rious positionsassumed by the retardinor stopping, starting, and accelerating mechartisrgs during the operations ot reversing the The printing-machineillustrated comprises the usual impression-cylinder C, mounted torevolve in suitable journals supported by the framework, which cylinderco-operates with a 8o reciprocating type-bed B, that is supported bysliders S, which run in longitudinal ways W= supported by the framework.This cylinder C :is rotated by means of a wheel 50 on its shaft, that isdriven by a wheel 51 on a shaft 85 12, and a pinion 52, fast on saidshaft 12 inside of the frame, gears through an intermediate pinion 53with a wheel 54 on a shaft 13 which may be the main shaft and from whichsome of the parts are directly driven. This shaft 9o 12 also carrieswhat is usually referred-to as the main driving-pinion 10, because itsmovement determines that of the bed said pinion 10 usually making, as itdoes iii this instance, three revolutions to each reciprocation of thebed-namely, a full revolution as the bed makes its principal movement inone direction, a half-revolution during the time ofthe reversal of thebed at one end of its run, a second complete revolution in giving Toothe bed the principal part of its return move ment, and ahalf-revolution while the bed is being reversed at the other end of itsrun. Although experience has demonstrated such a size and relativemovement to be advantageous, the same may be changed without affectingthe present improvements, as may also the construction and arrangementof the rack-and-pinion mechanism with which they co-operate.

The bed-driving pinion 10 is fast upon a sleeve that is splined to theshaft 12 so as to slide thereon and yet be rotated thereby, and it gearswitha pinion 11 of two-thirds its size, that is similarly mounted upon ashort shaft 14. The pinion 10 co-operates with a bedrack 22 in movingthe bed throughout the major part of its run duringits printingmovement,and the pinion 11 co-operates with the rack 21 in moving the bedthroughout the major part of its run during its non-printing movement,and as these two pinions are simultaneously moved laterally to causethem to alternately engage with the rack with which each coacts saidpinion 10 is made wide enough to remain geared with the pinion 11 andpermit such movements. These racks 21 22 are supported directly from theunder side of the bed B, and they both face downward and are verticallyarranged so as to be separated a suitable distance apart andhorizontally arranged so that their pitch-lines respectively agree withthe pitch-1in es at the top of said pinions 11 10. Timely slidingmovements are simultaneouslyimparted to the pinions 10 and 11 by meansof collars attached to the sleeve of each, into which enter thebranching arms of a pivoted lever 24, that is periodically vibrated bymeans of a cam 26 on the shaft 13, into which the opposite end of saidlever is entered.

A revolving disk P, having a pocket l, is splined fast to the end of theshaft 12, and hence runs turn for turn with the pinion 10, and it hasmounted to turn freely upon its hub as a bearing a toothed wheel 27, tothe face of which is fixed a revolving disk G, carrying guards 2 4.-Motion is imparted to said guard-disk G by means of an intermediatepinion 28, that is fast upon the shaft-14 of pinion 11 and gears withthe wheel 27, which wheel 27, pinion 28, and pinion 11 are soproportioned with respect to said pinion 10 that the rotation of saidguard-disk is relatively slower than that of the pinion 10 andpocketdisk-that is, the pocket-diskP makes three revolutions to one ofthe guard-disk--and hence it results that thehead and tail of each guardwill respectively coincide in position with the pocket 1 as said pocketreaches its Vlowest and highest positions, and vice versa during thereversing operations, the object of which will be hereinafter explained.

The type-bed Bis provided with two swinging levers 80, each pivoted to abranching arm A, depending centrally from the bed, and said lbed alsocarries dependent at its opposite ends outwardly-curved arms, as 30 and40, in which the free end of each of said levers is respectively guided.The free or outer end of the lever 70 is provided on one side at its endwith a short right-angular or lateral stud 3, which is periodicallyentered into the pocket 1 of the disk P and engagedy with the curvedguard, as 2, of the disk G, said pocket 1 and the guard 2 forming acurved pathway, in which the said stud 3 is driven by the ro tation ofthe pocket-disk P, and said level' end is provided on its other side andsomewhat nearer its fulcrum with a stud, as 5, that moves in theguideway of or is otherwise guided by the arm 30. The outer or free endof the lever 8O is likewise provided on one side at its end with alateral stud 6, that is periodically entered into the pocket 1 of thedisk P, and engaged with the curved guard 4 of the disk G, said pocket 1and guard 4 forming a curved pathway in which said stud Gis driven bythe pocket-disk P, and said lever is provided on its other side andsomewhat nearer its fulcrurn with a stud 7, that moves in the guidewayof or is votherwise guided by the arm 40. These pathways formed by theguards 2 and 4 are equivalent to that traveled by a crank, andconsequently they impart the controlling motion of a crank to thereversing of the bed. This crank motion is moreover supplemented by whatis tantamount to a cam motion by the action of the guiding-arc in whichthe stud 5 or 7 travels with respect to the bed to which it is attachedas said stud 5 or 7 is driven through said arc by the action of thepocket-diskP and guard 2 or 4 imparted through the stud 3 or 6, and suchcompound movement renders it possible to slow down and stop the bed withgreat smoothness and to restart and propel the same with great ease.

In order that the levers when moved by the pocket-disk may be properlypositioned for their next coaction with said pocket-disk, said levers 70SO are extended rearward and geared together by segment-racks 35 45, sothat one will be rocked by the other. Now when the stud 3 of the lever70 enters the pocket 1 while the latter is approaching and passing itslowest point of travel, as in Fig. 4, and is rocked upward so as toleave the said pocket when the latter is approaching and passing itshighest point of travel, as in Fig. 6, the movement thus given to thelever 70 will swing its segment 35 downward, and acting through thesegment 45 will cause the lever S0 to correspondingly swing upward, soas to present its stud 6 in its highest position,as in Fig. 6, which isthat which it must have to enter the pocket 1 While said pocket isapproaching and passing its highest point of travel, as in Fig. 8, andsince its stud 6 leaves the said pocket 1 when it is approaching andpassing its lowest point of travel, as in Fig. 10, it again results thatthe -lever 80, thus made to swing, will cause, through its segment-rack45 and the segment-rack 35, such a vibration IOO IIO

l and guard 2 or 4 are maintained by guide rails 31, 32, 33, and 34, sopositioned that these studs 3 and 6 shall travel upon them during theprincipal part of the time the bed is making the major parts of its runin each direction.

The movements of the levers, as well as those of the various parts, willbe rendered clear by the following description of the operation inconnection with the diagrams Figs. 4 to 11, inclusive, wherein variousparts then inactive or which would obscure others then active are eitheromitted, broken away, or shown by lines or dotted lines.

As shown in Fig. 4, the parts are in the positions they have when thebed has nearly reached the end of the major part of its nonprinting rundriven by the pinion 11 and rack 21, and is to be reversed by completingthat movement to a state of rest and then being started in its oppositedirection or that in which it runs when co-operating with the cylinderin making an impression. It being understood that the pocket-disk P andthe guarddisk G turn in the same direction-that of the curved arrow-thatthe surface speed of the pocket-disk is equal to that imparted by therack-and-piuion mechanism to the bed, and that the speed of theguard-disk is a third slower than that of the pocket-disk, it will beapparent, since the rear end of the guard 2 coincides in position withthat of the pocket 1 when the latter is in its lowest position, thatwhile the pocket-disk makes a half-revolution to bring its pocket 1 intoits highest position the forward end of the guard 2 will arrivesimultaneously at the same point, said guard being thus in position forthe timely entrance and eXit of the stud 3, and, furthermore, that theguard 4 will perform in a like manner with respect to the stud 6 on thelever 80; also, that during the reversing operations the pinions 10 1lare moved laterally to bring the proper one into the path of travel ofthe rack it is to engage.

Vhen the pocket 1 is closely approaching and passing its lowest pointand the tail of guard 2 coincides in position with it, as in Fig. 4, atwhich time said pocket, as well as the rack 21 and stud 3, is moving atthe surface speed of the driving pinions, the rack 21 will run out ofthe pinion 11 and the stud 3 will simultaneously enter the pocket l andpass behind the said guard 2, and while the pocket 1 makes aquarter-revolution it will carry the stud 3 in the curved or crankpathway formed by the guard 2 and compel the stud 5 to travel in thereversed curved pathway in the arm 30, thus through a compound motionimparting to the bed a movement which, gradually retarding it, brings itto a state of momentary rest, as in Fig. 5, which compound motion thusobtained becomes cam-like or of greater 'and hence easier sweep than isthe movement imparted through a semicircular path as by a crank. Duringthe next quarter-revolution of the pocket l it will continue to move thestud 3 in the curved or crank pathway formed by the guard 2 and the stud5 in the reversed curved pathway in the arm 30, thus starting the bed inthe reverse direction and gradually accelerating it through suchcomapound motion, and when the pocket 1 is closely approaching andpassing its highest point of travel and the forward end of the guard 2Vcoincides with it, as in Fig. G, at which time said pocket, as well asthe rack 22 and the stud 3, is moving at the surface speed of thedriving-pinions, the rack 22 will engage the pinion 10, which has thenbeen moved into proper alignment with it, and the stud 3 willsimultaneously disengage from the pocket 1 and pass out from under theforward end of the guard 2, as in Fig. 6. The bed will then have beenreversed and now be solely driven by the pinion 10 and rack 22 andcarried through the major part of its run made during the printingoperation, the stud 3 then running free. In the making of this reversalof the bed just described it will be observed that the levers 30 havebeen rocked from their low position in Fig. 4 to their high position inFig. 6. The bed will now make the major part of its printing run drivensolely by the rack 22 and pinion 10,

as in Fig. 7, during which the pinion 10 makes a complete revolution.During this run of the bed the levers 70 8O are maintained in thislast-described position, which is the one they must have when they areagain to be acted upon by means of guard-rails 31 32, upon which theirstuds travel while the bed is making the major part of its run in eachdirection. Thus as the stud 3 leaves the pocket 1 and guard 2 to passoutward between the head of guard 2 and tail of guard 4 the stud 6 oflever 80 will simultaneously enter upon the guard-rail 3l and hold thetwo levers 70 in their highest positions. Said stud 6 will travel on therail 3l as the bed moves onward, and when said stud 6 is about leavingthe rail 31 the stud 3 will in like manner enter onto the rail 32, as inFig. '7, and hold the levers in place until the stud 6 is engaged by thepocket-disk 1, as in Fig. 8, when the bed, having completed the majorpart of its printing run, requires to be stopped and reversed, duringwhich operation the pinions 10 and 11 are moved laterally so as topresent the pinion 11 in the pathway of the rack 2l. When the pocket lis again closely approaching and passing its highest point and the tailof the guard 4 coincides in position with it, as in Fig. 8, at whichtime said pocket, as well as the rack 21 and stud 6, is moving at thesurface speed of the driving-pinions, the rack 22 will run out of thepinion l0 and the stud 6 will simultaneously enter the IOO IIO

pocket 1 and pass behind the said guard 4," and while the pocket makes aquarter-revolution it will carry the stud 6 in the curved or crankpathway formed by the guard 4and compel the stud 7 t0 travel in thereversed curved pathway in the arm 40, tlrus through; a compound motionimparting to the bed a movement which, gradually retarding it, brings itto a state of momentary rest, as in Fig. 9. During the nextquarter-revolution of the pocket 1 it will continue to move the stud 6in the curved or crankpathway formed by the guard 4 and the stud 7 inthe reversed curved pathway in the arm 40, thus starting the bed in thereverse direction and gradually accelerating it through such compoundmotion, and when the pocket 1 is closely approaching and passing itslowest point of travel and the head of the guard 4 coincides with it, asin Fig. l0, at which time said pocket, as well as the rack 22 and thestud 6, is moving at the surface speed of the driving-pinions, the rack21 will engage the pinion 11, which has then been moved into properalignment with it, and the stud 6 will simultaneously disengage from thepocket 1 and pass out4 from under the head end of the guard 4, as inFig. 10. The bed will then have been reversed and now be solely drivenby the pinion 1l and rack 21 and carried through the major part of itsrun made during its non-printing movement, the stud 6 then running free,and at the end of this movement the parts will have arrived in thepositions shown in Fig. 11,which are those from which the description oftheir operation was begun.

In making the reversal of the bed just described the levers 70 8O wererocked from their high position in Fig. 6 to their low position in Fig.10, in which latter position (that which they must have when again actedupon) they are maintained by means of guard-rails 33 34, upon whichtheir studs travel while the bed is making the greater part of itsreturn movement. Thus as the stud 6 enters the pocket 1 to pass behindthe guard 4 the stud 3 will simultaneously bear upon the guardrail 33and thus hold the two levers 70 8O in their lowest positions. Said stud3 will then travel on the rail 33 as the bed moves onward, and when saidstud 3 is about leaving the rail 33 the stud 6 will in like manner bearupon the rail 34, as in Fig. 11, and hold the levers in place until thestud 3 is engaged by the pocket 1, as in Fig. 4, when the bed, havingcompleted the greater part of its non-printing or return run, requiresto be again reversed. Herein the rack-and-pinion mechanism embodies tworacks and two driving-pinions. It is obvious that other constructionsmay be used, as is explained and illustrated in my application, SerialNo. 421,914, liled February 8, 1892. It

may now be stated that the curved guide 30 or 40 may, instead of havinga slot, be a single member, against which the stud, as 5 or 7,

bears, or that it may be embraced by a stud bearing on its oppositesides. It may also be remarked that while such curved guides may beentirely omitted their use is preferred.

Of course the pocket-disk might be an arm of dimensions sufficient tocarry the semicircular pocket 1, and the terms pocket, disk, orpocket-disk are therefore to be regarded as embracing such aconstruction.

The subject-matter hereof is broadly embraced by my application, SerialNo. 432,145, filed May 7, 1892, and hence the following is alone claimedherein.

It will be obvious that this invention is applicable in whole or in partwherever a reciprocating member is employed in machines other thanprintingmachinesas, for in stance, in a planer.

l. The combination, with the reciprocating bed, of two levers pivoted tothe bed and geared together so as to swing concertedly, a revolving diskhaving a pocket, and two revolving guards co-operating with said pocketto alternately engage the outer ends of said levers and reverse themovement of the bed at each end of its run by retarding, stopping,starting, and accelerating the same, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the reciprocating bed, of two levers pivoted tothe bed and geared together so as to swing concertedly, a revolving diskhaving a pocket, two revolving guards co-operating with said pocket toalternately engage the outer ends of said lcvers, and a curved guide ateach end of the bed, in which the outer ends of said levers travel,whereby the motion of the bed is reversed at each end of its run,substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the bed and a rack-and-pinion mechanism fordriving it during the major part of its reeiprocation, of two leverspivoted to thebed and geared together so as to swing coneertedly, arevolving disk having-a pocket, and two revolving guards co-operatingwith said pocket to alternately engage the outer ends of said levers andreverse the movement of the bed at each end of its run by retarding,stopping, starting, and accelerating the same, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination, with the bed and a rack-and-pinion mechanism fordriving it during the major part of its reciprocation, of two leverspivoted to the bed and geared together so as to swing concertedly, arevolving disk having a pocket, two revolving guards (zo-operating withsaid pocket to alternately engage the outer ends of said levers, and acurved guide at each end ofthe bed, in which vthe outer ends of saidlevers travel, whereby the motion of the bed is reversed at each end ofits run, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the moving bed, the two levers pivoted theretoand connected IOC IIO

so as to conjointly swing in opposite directions, a revolving pocket,and a revolving they are moved by the pocket and guards, 15substantially as described.

7. The combination of the pocket-disk, shaft 12, pinions 10 11, shaft13, pinion 28, and movable guard-disks, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

LUTHER C. CROVELL.

Vitnesses:

I-I. T. MUNsoN, T. F. KEHOE.

